Haggling Is Not Embarrassing Anymore, Provided You Know How To!
Maybe a couple of years ago, I’d feel embarrassed bargaining with shopkeepers over the price of a selected item, which may be a garment, a cookie pack, a restaurant bill or a doctor’s fee. But not anymore! That’s what everybody seems to be doing. This recession has not spared even the most socially well-mannered person amongst us to bargain for prices in the biggest showrooms and departmental stores of the nation. Rather, some retailers are offering their ware at negotiable prices. According to NPR, haggling has picked momentum in recent years. According to America’s Research Group, 72 percent of holiday shoppers were found haggling last year, compared to 56 percent the year before. It’s the recession of course. According to NPR, a consumer reports survey showed people who haggled striking the correct deal 83 percent of the time.
Michael Soon Lee, author of Black Belt Negotiating, says, “I’ve talked to many, many vendors all the way from Nordstrom to Best Buy to car dealers to real estate sales people. Everyone is haggling now because this gives you an instant raise,”.
No doubt haggling can be embarrassing and despite the economic downturn many of us might be actually embarrassed for bargaining over things that some might find pretty trivial and label you stingy. If you are one of those then let me give you a few tips on how to make your haggling a non-embarrassing affair.
Shed Your Social Consciousness
Firstly I’d advise you that within decent limits, you should shed your social consciousness. It’s your money after all. Society is not feeding you, so why should you bother about what it will think if you negotiate prices? Everybody knows that the economy is low and people are hard-pressed for money. Even if it were not for the recession, you have every right to advocate saving your money. In fact these days, people who manage their money wisely are the ones who are more respected than those who squander wealth in the name of false prestige.
A Courteous Approach Is Always Respected
When you go the store, ask if the prices are negotiable. If they are, you are lucky, if they aren’t you have two options. Either buy the product at the quoted price or walk out of the deal politely telling the salesperson that the purchase price quoted does not suit your pocket. Why should you demand lower prices or shout at the shopkeeper for no
t complying with it? The latter behavior is sure going to win you disrespect not only from the staff observing the circus but also from the fellow shoppers.
Bargain Only After Knowing the Real Price
Don’t bargain if you don’t know the correct price at which an item can be bought. Keep yourself informed of the prices at which the competitors are offering the same good or service and then quote your negotiated amount. If you are ill informed you might be actually quoting a nonnegotiable price which the seller will not agree to and the argument will really prove to be both embarrassing as well as futile for you.
Bargaining is an art. Do it with tact and turn the deal towards yourself.
Good tips for haggling. It is very common practice to haggle in most areas outside of the Western world. The problem is that a lot of people do not know how to haggle and get intimidated by it. My girlfriend recently purchased a car, but she insisted on bringing me along knowing that she would not be able to negotiate aggressively enough. The trick is to know which industries & businesses are more likely to allow haggling. Some places will just look at you funny if you try to negotiate a better price.
Many times I’ve been able to buy articles at half their quoted prices by bargaining.
Bargaining helps you buy things at their true worth. You don’t haggle you pay up an amount the item’s not worth. Its so foolish. God knows why people find haggling embarrassing.
Haggling is just not common practice in North America. So stores and consumers are not used to it. You’d feel silly haggling if every store refused and gave you a funny look. It makes you feel cheap. A lot of people are willing to overspend to avoid potential embarrassment.